Interesting!

Sometimes I get frustrated with Microsoft. Our Sync works ok, but it's not the most wonderful thing I've ever seen.

Sync is hard for me to learn. Once the basic commands are mastered, it still messes up at times. Ford has had hands-free cell phone for over a decade in Lincolns. They should have everything straightened out by now. Nope.

Sync receives calls through your nearby cell phone (as a function of bluetooth). If it doesn't sync (there is an indicator), Robin turns her cell off, then on again (otherwise her phone is ALWAYS on).

If the phone rings: Once the 'telephone button' on the steering wheel is pressed, Sync automatically turns the radio down, and the caller's voice comes over the car speakers. This it does well. If you need more volume, simply turn up the radio. Talking and listening is very clear, even with the windows down.

Calling out is a different story... When the phone is set up, the phone's dialing list is sent and copied to Sync, so it knows the name (and number) of everyone on the list. When Robin commands Sync to 'call home' it responds with, 'calling MOM'. (Hang up quick. Maybe 'home' sounds too close to 'MOM'.)

New command: "Call Dave"...
...'calling Mom' again, hang up. Alright, that should be different enough but it isn't. (hope MOM isn't answering her phone...)

It works best if the actual numbers are spoken; '2'..'4'...'8'..'5'..'4'..'4'.. (and so on). Then it always works.

The display conveniently reports, TIRE LOW when a tire is low or out of air (but doesn't say which tire.) Ok, that's an improvement Usually when one tire goes low they all need to be checked. Each wheel has a sensor on the inside of the valve stem that sends a radio signal when pressure drops below 25-psi. I hope the tire stores don't rip it off in their tire dis-mounting machines. The fault only goes away after air, AND the car is restarted.

Other diagnostics reports are sent to or figured-out by Sync like, 'Change Oil'. It doesn't really know the status of the oil, but it knows WHEN it was changed, in terms of 'days ago', and 'miles driven'. When the oil is changed, the display must be manually reset, scrolling through the menu.

These are basic and common faults. More advanced problems are reported as well. Sync comes with a huge book. It MUST be referenced in order to make any sense. Even then, after reading the dang thing, I sometimes scratch my head. Setting the clock for daylight savings time is not fun or as easy as other Fords I've had.

Sync is a 'must have' for hands free cell phone, and Robin uses it every day. Otherwise, I look at it as yet another 'thing' that can go wrong (like we don't have enough already). What's next? Probably a sensor that can tell how we feel about things. - Dave